Collingwood ruckman Josh Fraser says under-fire Mick Malthouse is coaching as well as ever and has the full support of his players.

Malthouse's AFL future remains the subject of conjecture, with the spectre of ex-Collingwood great Nathan Buckley hovering and the Pies coach being heavily linked with a move to Richmond next season to replace Terry Wallace.

The Pies' meek 51-point loss to Carlton at the weekend - albeit missing several important players - has done nothing to stop the speculation.

But Fraser, one of a raft of injured Magpies who missed the Carlton loss, said Malthouse remained the right man for the job.

"I still think Mick is coaching as well as he has, and he certainly hasn't lost the support of the playing group," Fraser told OneHD's One Week At A Time television program.

"Hopefully if we can get some players back into the side, we can generate some good footy.

"I think Mick's doing a really good job down there - he probably hasn't had the cattle the last week or so to make it work.

"The players have to take responsibility. We've let him down and the rest of the coaching staff down in different games this year."

"We've lost some games we should have won."

But Fraser also gave glowing endorsements to Buckley and another ex-Collingwood player, current West Coast assistant Scott Burns, as future AFL coaches.

"(Buckley) is as driven as anyone I've ever seen in terms of competing and trying to get the best out of himself," Fraser said.

"He would have realised there's things in there he needs to improve on ... but I have no doubt he'll make a terrific coach, when his time comes."

Meanwhile, former Collingwood great and media personality Lou Richards has turned down a lifetime achievement award which was due to be presented at this week's Australian Football Hall of Fame induction dinner in Melbourne.

Richards' family told the AFL he did not wish to receive such an award.

There has been an ongoing campaign to recognise 86-year-old Richards with "legend" status - the highest honour in the Hall of Fame.

But Richards is not eligible under the current selection criteria.

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